Citation

Puhalla AA, McCloskey MS. Biol. Psychol. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.biopsycho.2020.107931

PMID

32687869

Abstract

Biological theories of aggression propose that autonomic nervous system (ANS) hypo-reactivity may be more specific to proactive aggression, whereas ANS hyper-reactivity may be specific to reactive aggression. However, the research findings in this area are mixed. Furthermore, no study to date has examined whether emotion dysregulation moderates the aggression - ANS relationship. The present study examined electrodermal activity (EDA), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and heart rate (HR) reactivity in 76-undergraduate participants (29 men, mean age = 21.49) in response to a provocation task relative to baseline.

RESULTS showed that blunted HR reactivity was associated with increased proactive aggression. RSA augmentation and blunted EDA reactivity were both associated with increased proactive and reactive aggression, but only among those above the sample mean on emotion dysregulation. Thus, emotion dysregulation may play a key role in the relationship between ANS reactivity and both reactive and proactive aggression.

Language: en

Keywords

Heart rate; Respiratory sinus arrhythmia; Cardiac vagal regulation; Electrodermal activity; Emotion dysregulation; Proactive aggression; Provocation; Reactive aggression